What to look out for on EU tire labels?

Where will I find the Label information?

Since 1 November 2012 manufacturers have a legal requirement to include the label information in all technical material they develop and dealers must display it in a clearly visible position at the point of sale. This applies to all tires produced after 1 July 2012.

Three players have a number of obligations to ensure consumers are informed:

the tire suppliers (manufacturers or importers in Europe)

the retailer

the vehicle manufacturers

once all technical implementing measures are adopted by the EU legislator.

Tire suppliers must provide the information in the following way:

For passenger cars, light trucks and truck tires the information must be available in technical promotional literature such as leaflets and brochures and also on the manufacturers website

For passenger and light truck tires, the manufacturers or importers have the choice of either putting a sticker on the tire tread or a label accompanying the delivery of each batch of tires to the dealer and to the end consumer.

Goodyear EMEA* added a QR code to the label so that both dealers and customers can access detailed information about the tire online.

The retailer - at point of sale:

Must ensure that tires which are visible to consumers at the point of sale carry a sticker or have a label in their close proximity, and that it is shown to the end user before the sale.

Must give the information during the purchase process when the tires offered for sale are not visible to the end user.

Must give the information on or with the invoice.

The vehicle suppliers:

Vehicle suppliers and vehicle distributors must give the information to the consumer at the point of sale before the sale only if the consumer is offered a choice of tires on the vehicle they are intending to buy.

In cases when consumers have a choice of tires for the vehicle they want to buy, this information must be given in technical promotional literature.

Which tires fall under the regulation?

The regulation applies to almost all tires for four-wheel vehicles (passenger cars, light commercial vehicles and passengers/goods heavy commercial vehicles). However, it does not cover re-treaded tires, professional off-road tires, temporary-use spare tires, studded tires, tires used only for racing, tires whose speed rating is less than 80 km/h, tires to be fitted only on vehicles registered for the first time before 1 October 1990 and tires whose nominal diameter is smaller than 254 mm or bigger than 635 mm.

What happens to tires produced before July 1st 2012?

For all tires produced before the 1 July 2012, there is no such obligation: This means that for a certain period of time, consumers will find tires with labels and others without labels for sale alongside each other in the shops.